#CheekyFacts
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Going once! Going twice! SOLD to the man in the fancy toga!

In the Year of the Five Emperors (193 CE), the position of emperor was put up for auction by the praetorian guard 😱

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Bust thought to be of the emperor Pertinax who was assassinated by the praetorian guard in 193 CE. This bust depicts a bearded man with a furrowed brow and he has a gorgon on his breastplate. Held in the Vatican museums.
November 30, 2024 at 9:57 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Not happy with the politicians? Sick of being in debt? Take a leaf from the plebeians of Rome and start your own new settlement! When the powerful say protests and boycotts don’t work, don’t believe them. History shows the power of a good secession.

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‘The Secession of the People to the Mons Sacer’, engraved by B. Barloccini, 1849. The image shows a crowd of disgruntled people apparently heading away from the patricians and the military forces of Rome.
November 29, 2024 at 6:33 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Did you know that Vestal Virgins could not have speech impediments? A lisp or a stutter would interfere with those important rituals, as far as the Romans were concerned. Man, their gods were so particular…

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Sculptures lining the area near the atrium Vestae in Rome. The one closet to the camera has a head which is decorated with the distinctive six bands of layered fabric that make up the Vestals’ headdress.
November 28, 2024 at 7:00 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Some of the male priests of the goddess Cybele went through self-castration in order to serve her. We only have one word to describe their piety : yeeeeowch.

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Statue of the goddess Cybele. She is seated, wears a crenelated crown. Beside her is a cornucopia and she holds poppies in her right hand by the looks of it. She is accompanied by a lion.
November 27, 2024 at 6:56 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Hating your in-laws takes on a whole different sheen in ancient Rome. Early in his career, Catiline is reputed to have murdered his own brother-in-law… But only because Sulla forced him to, right Sulla? 

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‘The discovery of the body of Catiline after the Battle of Pistoia’ (1871), by Alcide Segoni. This painting explores Catiline’s demise after leaving Rome accused of conspiring to overthrow the state. Romans searching the battlefield discover Catiline amongst the casualties.
November 26, 2024 at 9:25 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine. We don't think Vespasian was top of anyone’s list in 68 CE, but he ended up emperor - and the rest, as they say, is the Flavian Amphitheatre!*

*The Colosseum

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Photograph of the remaining outside facade of the Colosseum from the southern side. The drill holes for the facing marble which is now missing can be seen. Photo by Peta Greenfield in 2023.
November 25, 2024 at 7:23 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? The Romans need to know because they’re always on the look out for signs from the gods. Bird movements could be significant, but they were also interested in dramatic signs, like the comet that appeared after Caesar's murder 😳

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Photo of murmurations of starlings over the skyline of Rome captured at dusk. They form undulating patterns of movement from the synchronous way the birds travel under certain circumstances. Source: Euro News.
November 24, 2024 at 6:09 AM
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If you worship carbs, we recommend the Tomb of the Baker near Termini station in Rome. It has survived because it was incorporated into the Aurelian Walls, rather than being torn down to make way for Rome's new building works. Breadstick, anyone?

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The tomb of Eurysaces the Baker stands proudly next to part of the Aurelian walls near Termini. Made up of circular column-like structures at the base, hollowed out circular niches further up, and topped with a frieze that depicts the baking process, there’s plenty of detail to this structure.
November 23, 2024 at 11:23 AM
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When Cleo met Antony… He was already married. Uh-oh!  His wife at the time was a ferocious woman named Fulvia, who actually started a war with Antony' rival, the future emperor Augustus 😮

Fulvia, an original bad-arse of history #CheekyFacts #AncientRome #AncientBluesky🏺
Etching by Bartolomeo Pinelli showing Fulvia piercing the tongue of Cicero's severed head. Dated to 1819. Fulvia’s expression suggests someone concentrating hard. Two men stand nearby watching her at this gruesome work looking equally serious.
November 22, 2024 at 8:09 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Gladiator II: Our spoiler free examination focuses on those sweet glimpses of Rome in the film trailer 🥳

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www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/gla...
The Real Story Behind All the ‘Gladiator II’ Chaos
Just how true to what actually happened is the new “Gladiator” sequel? Our historians weigh in. This is our Roman Empire...
www.thedailybeast.com
November 21, 2024 at 8:24 PM
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Fancy taking a romantic cruise along the Nile with your main squeeze? Be careful if your lover is the Emperor Hadrian. You might find yourself in an Agatha Christie novel.

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This bust is known as the ‘Antinous Mondragone’ due to it being held by the Borghese family in the Mondragone villa in Frascati (Italy). The smooth skin and stylised hair which falls in locks over Antinous’ shoulders draw attention to the craftsmanship of this piece.
November 21, 2024 at 6:26 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Siccius Dentatus, the man born with teeth, was an early plebeian hero.

Dentatus' mum, however, would like to let you all know that she doesn't recommend having a baby who is born with teeth. She's starting her own nipple cream company.

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Bartolomeo Pinelli’s etching entitled ‘Siccio Dentato Centurione (Lucius Siccius Dentatus During the Dreadfull Combat)’. The scene shows Dentatus holding out against Roman forces that have been sent against him. He doesn’t realise that he’s surrounded though and someone behind him is about to bludgeon him with a rock.
November 20, 2024 at 6:50 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Julia the Elder and Julia the Younger weren’t the only Roman mother and daughter duo who had some things in common.

Many years later, Galla Placidia and her daughter both had a bit of a thing for ‘barbarian’ kings!

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Detail of a gold glass medallion with a portrait of a family, from Alexandria (Roman Egypt) 3rd–4th century CE, Museo di Santa Giulia, Brescia, Italy. Image: Wikimedia Commons. The portrait is sometimes described as depicting Galla Placidia and her children.
November 19, 2024 at 6:33 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
In the Roman republic, Vedius Pollio gained quite a reputation for treating his slaves badly… but it also turns out that Vedius’ dad had been a slave.

Someone get Freud on the line!

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Detail of an ancient Roman mosaic showing an eel. What’s that got to do with Vedius Pollio? Well, we recommend our new book ‘Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire’ for all the salacious details!
November 18, 2024 at 6:40 AM
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If you think Caracalla and Geta bring a certain brand of strange to the screen, well it doesn’t end there! Elagabalus became emperor at fourteen. Can you imagine a teenager as emperor?

Could there be scope here for a Gladiator III?

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Description from the MFA Boston: “Bust of the Emperor Elagabalus. The length of the bus extends to mid-chest and includes the shoulders and upper arms. Elagabalus is depicted as a clean-shaven young man with a circular face, full cheeks, small mouth with full lips, and narrow almond-shaped eyes framed by heavy lids. The head is turned gently to the right and the gaze is directed away from the viewer. The hair of his eyebrows are lightly feathered. He has a short but wide forehead. His hair is worn short, conforming to the shape of his skull, and is composed of short comma-shaped locks. He wears a style of toga known as the toga contabulata. It is distinguished by a horizontal band of stacked drapery that runs from about mid-chest to over the left shoulder. Most of the nose is missing, from mid ridge to the right nostril. There is a break in the right shoulder that goes through to the back and extends toward the left shoulder. There is also a second break closer to the end of the right shoulder. Both breaks have been repaired. Patches of a high polish are visible near the temples, cheeks, and throughout the drapery folds. There are also patches of discoloration and rootmarks on the face, as well as reddish discolorations on the right chest and in the folds over the right arm. The base and tabula are not original.”Accession number 1977.337
November 17, 2024 at 6:50 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
We aren't the only ones to mourn pets, the Romans did too! They could be just as sad as anyone alive today when their dog died.

From poetic epitaphs to funerary monuments, beloved dogs were honoured by the Romans who cherished them.

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Statue of a Molossian hound. Roman copy after a Hellenistic bronze original thought to date to the second century BCE; the muzzle and one leg are restorations. The dog sits and gazes up to the sky with its mouth slightly open.
November 16, 2024 at 7:00 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
We’re celebrating the release of our new book ‘Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire’ all this month! These #CheekyFacts posts are just a taste of some of the great stories we explore 😁

ulyssespress.com/books/your-c...
Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire | Ulysses Press
Discover the wild and fascinating true stories of the Roman Empire that they never taught you in your boring history class with this ultimate collection of notorious emperors, scandalous love affairs,...
ulyssespress.com
November 15, 2024 at 7:29 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Augustus is infamous for his moral legislation but that does not mean he was a paragon of virtue.

He and Livia met at a party when she was about six months pregnant. Both were married to other people.

But by the time Livia gave birth,
she was married to Augustus!

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Composite image with a bust of Augustus on the left and a bust of Livia on the right. They are both in the Augustan style with subtle agelessness. Augustus’ hair has the distinction parting of curls in the fringe while Livia wears her hair with a rolled front fringe with curls around her face.
November 15, 2024 at 7:28 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
How to Rule Rome: Tip #2

If you’re not sure the people will accept a change you’d like to make, soften the blow by saying a deity advised you it was the best path.

Source: The Journal of Numa,
king of the Romans

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Illustration of Numa with Egeria by Bridget Clarke and featured in our book ‘Rex: The Seven Kings of Rome’. Egeria and Numa sit together contemplating ideas while in the forest. The words: pious, philosophical, and peaceful appear as part of the illustration indicating some of the qualities Numa was known for as king.
November 14, 2024 at 7:33 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Early Rome was a city of challenges and opportunities. Spurius Maelius did the Romans a huge favour by buying up lots of grain (at massively inflated prices) and distributing it for free to help prevent famine. Can you believe such an act would make a man enemies?

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Domenico Beccafumi 1535. Gaius Servilius Ahala presenting the body of Spurius Maelius to Cincinnatus. The painting shows Cincinnatus as an old man ruling as dictator. Ahala stands with a sword gesturing behind him to the corpse of Maelius. A crowd stands around watching.
November 12, 2024 at 9:22 AM
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The Romans loved a good wall. So much so that by the time of Hadrian’s imperial rule (117-138 CE), Rome had constructed over 10,000 kilometres of walls 😮

That’s longer than the distance between New York and Moscow!

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Photograph of a section of Hadrian’s wall which shows it following a ridge line. There’s a path next to it where visitors can walk along that has been created by many feet walking a similar line.
November 11, 2024 at 8:09 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
In the third century, Roman armies were routinely embarrassed by Shapur I, the  ‘king of the kings’ of the Sasanians. Shapur defeated Gordian III, forced the Roman emperor Philip I to pay blood money, and reportedly used Valerian as a footstool!

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This cameo shows Shapur the First capturing Valerian in battle. Both are on horseback. The cameo is Roman in style but celebrates the victory of Shapur making it unusual and suggesting the commission came from a Sasanian client. Different coloured layers of the stone were used to create the cameo. The background is dark, the figures are white and details are again dark again as they are on the highest level. Held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France, inv. No. Camée 360. The cameo is thought to date to about 260 CE.
November 10, 2024 at 10:09 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest was a devastating loss for the Romans.

But let’s not forget Arminius’ charisma. Arminius was the trusted Germanic officer who was instrumental in organising the ambush that would make Augustus cry.

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Description from Ancient World Encyclopaedia: “This is an artistic 3D impression of what the Battle of Teutoburg Forest (September, 9 CE) may have looked like. Germanic tribesmen led by Arminius wear down the Roman column, as its general Varus is trying to lead it back to safety. The engagement ended in a crushing Roman defeat.”
November 9, 2024 at 10:55 AM
partialhistorians.bsky.social
Julia the Elder was Augustus’ only biological child. Julia did her duty and had six children, but nothing (not even daddy) was going to stop her from having a good time!

When Augustus found out, he made her pay the price with exile…

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Bust of Julia the Elder. She has a distinctive hairstyle with rolled and pinned back fringe. From the Musée Saint-Raymond Toulouse.
November 8, 2024 at 7:44 AM
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#PhallusThursday #CheekyFacts

Dedicated followers are well aware that the Romans used phallic objects to ward off the evil eye and enhance their good fortune.

Indeed, wearing a fascinus 'a phallic amulet' is an ideal way to protect yourself ancient Roman style!
A selection of three phallic amulets characterised by a phallus with a ring on the shaft to create a way to wear the phallic object on a necklace of some kind.
November 7, 2024 at 9:05 AM